2006 January Term Course

Politico-Cultural Economic Analysis of Star Trek

This course introduces students
to political economy, post-structuralist methodology, and the application
of economic theory to an important body of cultural artifacts. These
cultural artifacts are the Star Trek films and television series. The
course analyses both the internal political economic content of these
series of cultural artifacts and the possible impacts of this content on
the larger social formation. It also explores the way the larger social
formation and the history of change within the politico-cultural and
economic global environment may have shaped the creative process that
brought these artifacts into being. Star Trek is also understood as an
asset that has the potential for generating future cash flow for the
owning corporate entity (currently Viacom). The class will also discuss
the way this asset is managed and the impact of particular management
strategies on the value of the asset.